Hi, I'm Willow Belden and you're listening to Out There, the podcast that explores big questions through intimate stories in the outdoors.

On this episode, we have a story about a bike trip, a long bike trip, across the entire United States, in fact.

The person who took the trip is a folk singer from Portland, Oregon.

His name is Joel Shupak, although he goes by the stage name, Leo J.

Joel had a dream that many of us share, a dream to get away from a life that wasn't filling

him up, a dream to travel, to give himself

space to think, to make sense out of things. And so, three years ago, he set off to follow that

dream, riding his bicycle all the way from Oregon to New Hampshire. Lucky for us, he brought

along his recording gear, and today he shares his story.

It's a story about leaving behind a comfortable life at home in order to follow your heart.

It shows us what a cross-country bike tour is really like, not just the glamorous idea, but the tough reality.

And finally, it's a story about figuring out how to belong.

I'll let Joel, or rather Leo J, take it from here.

I called it a cross-country bicycle-powered folklore pilgrimage.

A mouthful, I know.

Oh, big, big world, here I come with my big ideas and my Tommy gum.

On the one hand, it was a music tour.

On the other, a mission to find great stories.

My arms are brown, my heart is blue. Heaven knows that's a life I choose.

But really, it was about something altogether different, something much more personal.

And I know it won't be long.

I'll find myself among the means.

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